Boksburg fighter Godfrey Mkhwanazi credited his growing faith after dominating William ‘Ragnar’ Lekana to claim a unanimous decision victory on his return to the cage at EFC 134 on June 4.

Feralspunky, as Mkhwanazi is known, was patient and in control throughout the three-round catchweight bout. He commanded the centre of the cage, showcased superior grappling and mixed his striking effectively as the judges scored the contest 30-27 in his favour, taking his record to five wins and four losses in nine professional bouts.

“My walk in faith has grown. I would say that is the biggest difference from all my previous fights.

“Knowing that my formula is working is pleasing. I did everything right for this camp and everything came out the way I expected,” said Mkhwanazi.

“I didn’t force the finish, but I still went for it whenever the opportunity presented itself. I’ve also improved my fight IQ, which ultimately helped me win this fight by sticking to the game plan. I owe a big thank you to coach JP Kruger, who is helping me polish my jiu-jitsu and incorporate it into my MMA fights. I’ve grown into a well-rounded fighter.”

Mkhwanazi scored an early takedown in the opening round after catching one of Lekana’s kicks and sweeping him to the canvas. He immediately attacked the neck, looking for a guillotine choke, but Lekana defended well as the pair battled for position until the buzzer.

The second round opened with some dirty boxing, with Mkhwanazi looking sharp as he slipped and blocked incoming shots. He established his jab early before mixing in straight punches to the body and head, eventually securing another takedown.

After dragging Lekana to the mat near the fence, Mkhwanazi pinned him down and once again attacked the neck. Lekana showed tremendous resilience, surviving a series of submission attempts.

The tide almost turned late in the round when Lekana displayed excellent grappling awareness. He escaped danger before catching Mkhwanazi in a submission attempt of his own, coming close to forcing a tap before the bell rescued the 25-year-old.

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Mkhwanazi began the decisive final round on the front foot, landing a hook that visibly rocked Lekana. A sustained combination of punches and body shots helped him maintain control for the remainder of the contest and secure a convincing victory.

While the performance highlighted areas he still wants to improve, particularly his rear-naked choke, the victory moved him a step closer to a potential title shot.

“I’m in no rush for the title. I’m just having fun right now, so whatever my bosses throw my way next, I’m willing to take,” he said.

“My coach, Ferdinand Bason, believes a shot at the flyweight title could be possible with the progress we’ve been making from fight to fight. We’ll be ready for whoever is put in front of us.”

In the main event, Amanda Lino successfully defended her title with a third-round armbar submission victory over Nigerian challenger Juliet Chukwu.

Also Read: Parkrand’s ‘Feralspunky’ Mkhwanazi makes explosive mark in bare-knuckle debut